Lubricating means for trash compactor ram

ABSTRACT

A trash compactor employs a single, vertically disposed screw which drives the ram. In order to keep the screw lubricated over long periods of life, it operates in a tube partially filled with suitable lubricant, whereby the action of the screw threads keeps them and associated parts well lubricated and quiet over long periods of time.

United States Patent [191 Bourgeois et al.'

[ June 18, 1974 LUBRICATING MEANS FOR TRASH COMPACTOR RAM [75]Inventors: Joseph F. Bourgeois, Cedar Rapids;

James M. Grace, Elberton, both of Iowa [73] Assignee: AmanaRefrigeration, Inc., Amana,

Iowa

[22] Filed: Jan. 24, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 326,431

[52] U.S. Cl 184/5, 100/229 A, 100/289 [51] Int. Cl B301) 1/18 [58]Field of Search 100/229 A, 289; 184/5;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,582,157 6/1971 Hammon308/4 C 3,602,081 8/1971 Ballas 308/4 C 3,613,560 10/1971 Bottas....100/229 A 3,643,589 2/1972 Carter 100/229 A FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 653,758 5/1963 Italy 184/5 Primary Examiner-Manuel A.Antonakas Assistant Examiner-Daniel J. OConnor Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Haven E. Simmons; James C. Nemmers 1 [57] ABSTRACT A trashcompactor employs a single, vertically disposed screw which drives theram. In order to keep the screw lubricated over long periods of life, itoperates in a tube partially filled with suitable lubricant, whereby theaction of the screw threads keeps them and associated parts welllubricated and quiet over long periods of time.

4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures s l LUBRICATING MEANS FOR TRASH COMPACTORRAM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the case of trash compactors usingscrew driven rams, lubrication of the driving parts is obviouslynecessary from the standpoint of both long life as well as quietoperation. Experience has proven that while simply greasing thescrew'will do the job for short periods, longer periods of use cause thescrew to run dry and produce not only increased wear and friction butoften also loud chatter or horrendously shrill squeaks. These soonbecome literally unbearable. Lubricant impregnated washers or bushingshave been tried with some success but even they do not maintain silencelong enough. Of course, the owner could attend to greasing the screwperiodically. But not only is that a rather disagreeable and messy job,it is also a somewhat arduous one because the screw is rather difficultto reach, at least for lubricating purposes. Hence, the chief object ofthe present invention is to provide a means for lubricating the drivescrew of atrash compactor which is effective over long periods of timewithout requiring attention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the type of compactor concerned in which asingle vertically disposed screw drives the ram, the screw is emersed inan open top tube partially filled with a suitable lubricant. The tube iscarried by and moves with the ram itself and when the latter is at itsupper position, the screw is almost wholly engulfed within the tube.When the ram is reversed after a compacting stroke, the screw threadslift lubricant up from the tube to and about a swivel nut and seat andcarried by the ram, whereby not only are the threads of the nutlubricated but also the respective mating surfaces of the nut and seat.Owing to the size of the tube and the quantity of lubricant, theoperative surfaces of the screw and nut are kept lubricated and quietthroughout literally years of operation before refilling of the tube isnecessary. Other features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the drawings and the more detailed descriptionwhich follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical side elevation,partly in section,

of a typical trash compactor employing a ram driven by DESCRIPTION OFTHE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The trash compactor consists of a chassisformed essentially of a heavy, downwardly flanged rectangular floorplate 11 reinforced beneath by a transverse channel assembly 12. Justinboard of and along the side edges of the floor plate 11 are locatedtwo broad, shallow vertical channels 13 disposed in facing relation toeach other, only one being illustrated in FIG. 1. The lower ends of thechannels 13 are provided with horizontal tongues 13a which pass throughslots 110 along the side flanges of thefloor plate 11 and engage itsunder face, being secured thereto by bolts 13b. The

channels 13 extend nearly to the top of the compactor and are capped bya heavy, downwardly flanged top plate 14, also reinforced above by apair of transverse channel assemblies 15. The respective oppositeflanges of the vertical channels 13 are connected by horizontal channels16 intermediate the floor and top plate 11 and 14, all to form in effecta heavy, cage-like structure in which the ram operates. Over the chassis10 is slipped an open front, rectangular sheet metal cabinet 17 whoseforward edges are flanged at 17a and provided with a toe space 18. Thefront of the cabinet is closed by three panels 19, 20 and 21 against thecabinet flanges 17a, the upper edge of the panel 21 being provided witha hand grip 22. The cabinet 17 is secured only to the rear and sideedges of the floor plate 11, being otherwise spaced from the chassis 10in order to minimize transmission of vibration, and the floor and topplates 11 and 14 extend forward to just behind the toe space 18 and thepanel 19, respectively.

The ram assembly, generally indicated at 30, consists of an upperhorizontal plate 31 of rectangular shape generally spanning the areabounded by the four inner corners of the channels 13 and provided with apair of transverse upwardly turned flanges 32. From the side edges ofthe plate 31 depend a pair of deep skirt plates 33, reinforced by anglebraces 34 about the two edges of the plate 31 between the skirt plates33 and by flanges 35a and 35b along the four vertical and two bottomedges of the skirt plates 33. Over the four corners formed by the skirtplates 33 and their flanges 35a are secured glides 36 fashioned fromflat strips of nylon which slidably bearagainst the inner corners of thechannels 13. Beneath the upper plate 31 are welded the upper ends of apair of trapezoidal shaped supports 37 braced by flanges 38 along theirupright edges and disposed in spaced, back-to-back relation centrally ofthe plate 31. Welded to the lower ends of the supports 37 is the upperface of a circular bottom plate 39 centrally disposed with respect tothe upper ram plate 31 to which is removably attached a suitable ramhead 40. Between the supports 37 is vertically disposed an elongatedlubricant container in the form of a tapered tube 41, closed at itslower end, of circular cross-section. The tube 41 is supported upon thetop plate 31 by an integral cupped flange 42 at its upper end whichopens down through the top plate 31 into an integral spherical boss 43and thence into the lower, elongated body of the tube 41. A flanged ballswivel seat 44 for a ball swivel nut 45 having a squared upper boss 45aare received in turn in the tube boss 43. The tube flange 42, the seat44 and nut 45 are retained by a flange plate 46 bolted through the topplate 31 which sealingly compresses the tube flange 42 between the topplate 31 and the flange of the seat 44. The plate 46 is provided with asquared aperture 46a to receive the boss 45a and so prevent rotation ofthe nut 45. Through the latter is threaded a long, Acme type verticalscrew 47 extending down into the tube 41, the threads of the screw 47being interrupted at 48 toward its upper end and provided thereabovewith a pair of opposite flats 49 on which is threaded a nut 50. Thelatter supports a large, cogged driven gear 51 whose hub 52 fits theflats 49 to fix the gear 51 relative to the screw 47. On the hub 52 isplaced a sleeve needle bearing 53 which is received in a flat bushing 54below an aperture 55 in the chassis top plate 14 andbolted theretobetween the channel assemblies 15. Above and below the bushing 54 areinterposed a pair of washer-type needle thrust bearings 56, eachsandwiched between a pair of flat washers 57. Through the bushing 54extends the upper end of the screw 47, the latter and thus the entireram assembly 30 being suspended from the bushing 54 by means of a nut 58bearing against the uppermost washer 57. In order to prevent whipping ofthe screw 47, its lower end and that of the tube 41 are extended downthrough an aperture 59 in the ram bottom plate 39. Forward of the ramassembly 30 a hat-shaped bracket 60 is bolted to the under face of thechassis top plate 14 from which is vertically suspended an appropriateelectric motor M, the upper end of its drive shaft carrying a smallcogged drive gear 61, the gears 51 and 61 being connected by a coggeddrive belt 62.

Accordingly, as the screw 47 is driven in the appropriate direction, theentire ram assembly 30 moves downwardly owing to the swivel nut 45. Theeightnylon glides 36, which in effect provide a total of eight bearingfaces, fit tightly against the inner corners of the chassis channels 13and are heavily greased. The screw 47, which provides a single axis ofthrust centrally disposed with respect to the ram assembly 30 andparallel to the glides 36, absorbs most of the resistance encountered bythe ram assembly 30 as it descends. Any tendency for it to cock ortwist" is resisted by the strength of the ram assembly 30, the extensivelength of the eight surfaces of the nylon glides 36 and the substantiallateral spacing of the latter from the axis of the screw 47. Anycocking" relative to the screw 47 is accommodated by the swivel seat 44and nut 45. The interrupted thread portion 48 of the screw 47 preventsover-travel of the ram 30 upon its upward movement. The tube 41 isfilled as indicated in FIG. 1 with a suitable lubricant, such as a lightmolybdenum disulfide grease, which during operation of the ram 30 iscarried by the threads of the screw 47 up to the nut 45 as well asbetween the latter and the swivel seat 44, thus effectively lubricatingthe parts and preventing squeaks. The tube holds sufficient grease forseveral years operation without need of refill. Since the upper end ofthe tube 41 is effectively closed by the seat 44, nut 45 and screw 47,the consistency of the grease need be only enough so that it does nottend to seep out when the compactor is laid on its side while beingtransported.

The slide-out mount 70 for the trash container is formed by arectangular floor pan 71 having a large centrally located, circularaperture 72 therein normally axially aligned with the ram head 40 andsomewhat larger in diameter. The mount 70 is carried on a pair ofthree-piece, ball bearing full extension glides (not shown) connected tothe channels 13 and the floor pan 71. A pair of upright, trapezoidalbraces 73 secure the floor pan 71 to the cabinet front panel 21. Thetrash container 74 is supported in the aperture 72 above the floor plate11 by means of several leaf springs (not shown) carried by the mount 70.When the ram 30 is in its fully retracted position, the container 74 canbe pulled forwardly out of the cabinet 17 on its mount 70, as indicatedby the arrow in FIG. 1, by the hand grip 22 in order for trash to bedeposited or for emptying. When the ram 30 is activated by anyconventional means controlling forward and reverse operation of themotor M, it first descends to compress the trash at which time thecontainer supporting springs deflect allowing the container 74 to sinkthrough the aperture 72 until its bottom sits firmly upon the chassisfloor plate 11. When maximum compression has been reached, the motor Mis automatically reversed to withdraw the ram 30.

Though the invention has been described in terms of a particularembodiment, being the best mode known of carrying out the invention, itis not limited to that embodiment alone. Instead, the following claimsare to be read as encompassing all adaptations and modifications of theinvention falling within its spirit and scope.

We claim:

1. In a trash compactor having a ram movable in a substantiallyrectilinear path from an upper position to a lower trash compactingposition, and drive means for moving the ram, the drive means includingat least one rotatable driven vertical screw engaging a threaded membercarried by and movable with the ram, the screw having a free lower endand threads extending upwards therefrom along the body of the screw, thethreaded member being adjacent the upper end of the threaded body of thescrew when the ram is in its upper position, the improvement comprising:lubricating means for the screw and threaded member, the lubricatingmeans including a container carried by and movable with the ram, thecontainer spacedly encompassing substantially the entire threaded bodyof the screw when the ram is in its upper position, and lubricant in thecontainer immersing at least a portion of the threaded body of thescrew.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the threaded member comprises aswivel nut, and including a complimentary seat member beneath andswivelly receiving the nut, the seat member being immovably secured tothe ram, the nut being secured to the ram against rotation and verticaldisplacement relative thereto while permitting swivel movement of theseat member and the ram relative to the nut and the screw, and whereinthe upper end of the container includes a portion in sealing contactwith the seat member effective so that the upper end of the container isclosed by the screw, the nut and the seat member conjointly.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the ram includes a horizontal topplate having an aperture, the seat member having a lower spherical bossextending down through the plate aperture and an upper circumferentialflange overlying the ram top plate, and wherein the container comprisesa length of tube of circular cross-section closed at its lower end, theupper end of the tube having in axial alignment a circumferential flangedisposed between the ram top plate and the seat member flange and aspherical boss between the tube flange and the body of the tubetherebelow, the tube boss extending down through the top plate apertureand enveloping the exterior of the seat member boss, and including meanscompressing the tube flange between the seat member flange and the ramtop plate.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the lubricant comprises amolybdenum disulfide grease partially filling the container.

1. In a trash compactor having a ram movable in a substantiallyrectilinear path from an upper position to a lower trash compactingposition, and drive means for moving the ram, the drive means Includingat least one rotatable driven vertical screw engaging a threaded membercarried by and movable with the ram, the screw having a free lower endand threads extending upwards therefrom along the body of the screw, thethreaded member being adjacent the upper end of the threaded body of thescrew when the ram is in its upper position, the improvement comprising:lubricating means for the screw and threaded member, the lubricatingmeans including a container carried by and movable with the ram, thecontainer spacedly encompassing substantially the entire threaded bodyof the screw when the ram is in its upper position, and lubricant in thecontainer immersing at least a portion of the threaded body of thescrew.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the threaded membercomprises a swivel nut, and including a complimentary seat memberbeneath and swivelly receiving the nut, the seat member being immovablysecured to the ram, the nut being secured to the ram against rotationand vertical displacement relative thereto while permitting swivelmovement of the seat member and the ram relative to the nut and thescrew, and wherein the upper end of the container includes a portion insealing contact with the seat member effective so that the upper end ofthe container is closed by the screw, the nut and the seat memberconjointly.
 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the ram includes ahorizontal top plate having an aperture, the seat member having a lowerspherical boss extending down through the plate aperture and an uppercircumferential flange overlying the ram top plate, and wherein thecontainer comprises a length of tube of circular cross-section closed atits lower end, the upper end of the tube having in axial alignment acircumferential flange disposed between the ram top plate and the seatmember flange and a spherical boss between the tube flange and the bodyof the tube therebelow, the tube boss extending down through the topplate aperture and enveloping the exterior of the seat member boss, andincluding means compressing the tube flange between the seat memberflange and the ram top plate.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein thelubricant comprises a molybdenum disulfide grease partially filling thecontainer.